A death of a sea lion in shark nets in South Australia has triggered the closure of a fishing zone near Port Lincoln.
Under new rules aimed at protecting sea lions, a maximum of 15 deaths are allowed across seven fishing zones per year.
Now, a South Australian shark fisherman has returned from a fishing trip where three sea lions were found in nets.
The industry says it’ll report the deaths to the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, but is worried about more closures.
Shark fisher, Jeffrey Schmucker, says fishers will now go to Victoria.
“That’s five boats that have gone to Victoria and that’s five boats times 4,200 metres of net,” he said.
“That’s 20 kilometres of net going in the water four times a day every day of their trip and it’s all going into Victoria – where is the environmental sense in that?”
2012 ABC